Explosive-engine.



2 SHEETS-SHEET lk W m Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

M. S. DARLING.

EXPLOSlVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 19x1.

Q. Q an M FIL W m 01 N N Qfix W M. s. DARLING.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. 19H.

1 246,560. Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

WITNESSES 4 KEG/ Arron/1m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. v

MARK S. DARLING, OF CONRAD, MONTANA.

EXPLOSIVE-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NO 13, 1917,

Application filed March. 27, l917 Serial No. 157,692. v

To all whom it, may concern:

-Be it known that 1, MARK S. DARLING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Conrad, in the county of Teton and State of Montana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to explosiveengines and more particularly to an explosive engine of the character described and claimed in my Patent No. 1,212,914, dated January 16, 1917, and upon which my present construction is an improvement, the

objects of my present invention contemplattion taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectio through one lower portion of the engine,

Fig. 5 is a detail section taken substantially on line 55. of Fig. 1, 1

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken substantially on line 6 6 of Fig. 4:.

-Referring now torthe present figures, and as in my patent above referred to, the engine to .which ,my present improvements are applied consists of a sectionalicasing which is substantially circular in cross section and embodies upper and lower sections 10 and 11, the latter formed integral with a tank 12 the purpose of which will presently appear. 4

These sections 10 and 11 of the casing are secured by suitable bolted connections 13 and are each provided with cooling chambers 14 connected by passages 15. v

Mounted in the bearings 16 at each end of the cylindrical casing before referred to are the reduced end portions of a hollow cylindrical rotor 17 as best seen in Fig. 1, which at intervals is provided with radially outstanding vanes 18 capable of hinged movement toward and away from the periphery of the rotor, due to their particular construction as presently described, the rotor being provided with annular partitions 19 spaced apart and dividing the same into sections in eachofjwhich the arrangement of the vanes 18 is the same, each section including an annular space between the rotor 17 and the internal surface of the cylindrical casing, of which it will be noted from Fig. 2 the upper portion of the space between the rotor 17 and the upper section 10 of the casing is substantially smaller than, the'space between the rotor and the lower half 11 of the casing. 7

Thus an explosion chamber 20 is formed between the rotor 17 and the upper casing section 10 adjacent the spark plug 21, explosionin which takes place when the preceding vane 18 has passed well into the lower enlarged portion of the operating having an outwardly opening spring controlled valve 22 in achannel23 communicating between the operating space of the engine and the tank 12 and which valve is subjected to each explosion, assuch explosion takes place with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2.

At the upper centralportion of the upper section 10 of the casing is a rotary valve 24 space, the lower section 11 of the casing" which is actuated through gearing indioated at 25 in Fig.1 from one of thereduced ends 17 of the rotor, which is also geared to a pump 26 which induces a circulation of cooling fluid from a fluid reservoir 27 through pipes 28 and 29 connecting the same with the cooling spaces'l l of the casing and the interior of the rotor 17.

The inlet valve 24, which receives its supply from any suitable means through an intake pipe 30, as seen in Fig. 1, supplies combustible fluid at regular intervals. to the operating spaces-through spring controlled intake valves 31, .the products of combustion being exhausted from an exhaust pipe 32 at the relatively opposite side of the lower' section 11 as compared with valve 22 before I referred to.

Thus in general at each explosion a certain proportion of the exploded gases are forced through the valve 22 and into the tank 12, to be stored therein and utilized 1ncler pressure for any suitable purpose,

among which purposes may be that of providing for a self-starter capable of use at all times to start the engine without'the employment of other means ofpo'wer than that at hand.

To this end a valve tube as seen in Figs. 2 and 4 may be tapped into the lower section 11 of the casing at one side of the valve 22, with an internal valve .34 opening toward the cylinder so as to avoid the entrance of products of combustion at or following each explosion and at the same time permit of the passage of the contents head 38.

Each of the vanes 18 has a rounded extension 39 as best seen in Fig. 4;, set into a concaved recess 40 of the rotor 17 conformable thereto, the extension 39 adjacent the inner end of the rotor having a projecting lip a1 and a transverse oil feed slot 42 therethrough in order that oil may be fed from the external surface of the vane to the concaved bearing surface 40 of the rotor, the rounded extensions 89 being projected at their ends slightly beyond the ends of the vanes as indicated at 13 in Fig. 5, providing for their engagement by the inner concaved ends of bearing members 44: set radially into portions of the rotor 17 and secured thereto by the machine screws e5 in the manner seen in Fig. 6. In this way all bulky projections upon the rotor are avoided and movement of the vanes toward and away from the rotor provided for, as well as the ready passage of oil from their outer surfaces to the concaved hearing surfaces 40 of the rotor.

The application of oil to the several valves is accomplished by means of an elongated roller 16 as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, which is set into a cavity L7 in the upper section 10 of the'casing through theinner portion or mouth of which cavity the periphery of the said roller 46 partially pro-- jects. The cavity 47 is fed with oilfrom an oil supply pipe 18, branches 49 of which lead to said cavity in addition to its other branches 50 which may be led to various bearing portions of the rotor 17 and the casing. The roller 46 is normally held at its innermost position by saddle pieces 51 engaging the inner portion of the periphery thereof and against which. springs 52 bear, said saddle pieces having stems 53 extending into the branches 48 to act as pumpers for renewing the supply of oil each time the roller a6 is thrust outwardly by the engagement of one of the vanes 18 in its passage thereby, oil at the same time flowing from the cavity 47 or more particularly from the surface of the roller onto the vanes.

It is thus obvious that in connection with an engine of the present type my invention provides readily renewable vanes of a simple and comparatively inexpensive type as well as means to maintain the same in thoroughly lubricated condition at all times so as to avoid any tendency to stick.

It is also obvious that my invention provides in connection with an engine of the present type, simple and effective starting means whereby the rotor may be initially moved through the utilization of means for applying a portion of the pressure within the tank into the operating space so as to,

thus avoid the necessity of power means for this purpose other than that which is at hand at all times.

I claim 1. In an engine of the character described the combination with a gas receiving tank into which a portion of the exploded gases are driven durlng the several explosions of the engine in operation, of a tube extending into the said tank and having a valve with a rotor having peripheral projecting vanes, of a casing having a cavity in its inner wall, a roller shiftable in the cavity toward and away from the rotor and arranged to project partially beyond the inner surface of the casing for engagement by the said vanes of the rotor, and means for supplying lubricating fluid to the said cavity of the casing andaround the said roller.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotor having peripheral projecting vanes, of a casing surrounding the rotor, an oil applying roller movably carried by the inner portion of the said casing and normally projecting in part beyond the inner surface thereof for engagement by the vanes of the rotor and means to yieldingly support the said roller in position.

at. In an engine of the character described, a rotor having a longitudinally extending concavity, a vane having a rounded extension projecting into the said concavity whereby to support the vane for movement toward and away from the rotor, said vane having its said roundedextension provided with a slotted opening ext-ending there through to provide for the passage from the outer surface of the vane to the said concavity of the rotor. Y I

5. In an engine of the character described, a rotor having a longitudinally extending concavity, a vane having a rounded extension projecting into the said concavity,

whereby to support the vane for movement toward and away from the rotor, said rounded extension projecting at its ends beyond the ends of the vanes, and said rotor having radially projecting slots adjacent the ends of the vane, and detachable holding strips seated in the slots of the Vane and removably connected to the rotor having concaved inner ends engaging the said projecting ends of the said extensions, 10 all substantially as described.

MARK S. DARLING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissionet of Patents,

Washington, D. G. a 

